


Another Witch in the Family

by futuresailors



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Children, Cousins, Gen, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hogwarts, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Post - Deathly Hallows, Post-Hogwarts, Twenty Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 22:16:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1527650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/futuresailors/pseuds/futuresailors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dudley Dursley's eleven-year-old daughter receives a letter from Hogwarts twenty years after the events of Deathly Hallows, Harry goes to see his cousin for the first time since he was seventeen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Witch in the Family

**Author's Note:**

> This was written several years ago and I just found it on my computer, so I thought I'd post it.

Harry didn’t think about the Dursleys much anymore. It had been years since he had seen his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley being led to a safe home by Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones. After Voldemort’s regime fell, Harry had more important things to worry about, things more immediately connected to his everyday life. He needed to focus on his friends in the wizarding world, who had become more like family to him than his blood relatives could ever be. He needed to grieve for Fred Weasley, for Tonks and Lupin. He needed to spend time with Ginny. A few weeks after the devastating Battle of Hogwarts, Harry received an owl from Dedalus informing him that the Dursleys were unharmed and once again living on Privet Drive. This was sufficient.

Then, on a summer night twenty years later, Harry returned home from the Auror office at the Ministry to find a letter sitting on the kitchen table. A letter sent through the Muggle post. He greeted it with a raised eyebrow, as Ginny said “Odd, isn’t it?”

“I never really thought I’d hear from him again,” Harry replied, feeling a bit guilty. Dudley had been kinder the last time they spoke, but Harry had never wanted to reach out to him once they went their separate ways. Dudley was a Muggle, after all, and it was difficult to maintain a relationship with someone when you occupied different worlds. And even though his parents’ cruelty was not his fault, Harry still associated Dudley with the worst years of his life. He shrugged his shoulders and opened the envelope. Inside was a short message:

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you’re well. I know we haven’t spoken in a while, but I was wondering if you would do something for me. I’ll understand if you don’t want to, but I reckon it can’t hurt to ask. I’ve been married now for fifteen years to my wife, Anna. We have a daughter called Gillian, who just turned eleven. Yesterday, she got a letter from your school. This was a huge shock for me, as you can imagine, but has been even more difficult for Gillian. They sent a bloke over to explain it to us, but I think it would help if she could talk to you. I know you’ve never met, but I don’t want her to be frightened. I’m sorry for how my parents treated you when we were kids. I don’t want the same thing to happen to my girl. I completely understand if you don’t want to, but please consider it._

_Dudley_

Harry looked back at Ginny, who had been reading the letter over his shoulder. “That’s sweet of him,” she said. “That poor girl must be terrified.”

“I wonder how much she knows,” Harry replied. “I know they send an official to talk to Muggle-borns, to make sure they know it isn’t a joke or anything. I was so excited to get away from the Dursleys that I didn’t question it much.”

Ginny laughed. “You weren’t exactly the typical case. I don’t think they send Hagrid to fetch everyone and give their cousins pig tails.”

“I suppose that did happen. But I reckon Dudley must be over that, if he’s contacting me after all these years. Merlin’s beard, I can’t believe his daughter’s a witch!” Harry said. He had always thought that even though Dudley had a witch for an aunt and a wizard cousin, having Vernon as a grandfather would definitely ensure that his children were Muggles.

“Magic is funny that way. You never know when it’s going to surface,” Ginny said. She placed her hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I think you should go see her.”

“I think I will,” Harry said slowly. He had never had a good relationship with his cousin, but he figured that was more the fault of Vernon and Petunia. He didn’t want to think about their reaction when they learned that their granddaughter, the only child of their dear darling Duddykins, was a witch. Gillian was going to need all the support she could get.

So on the following Saturday, Harry said goodbye to Ginny, James, Albus, and Lily after breakfast and Apparated to Surrey to visit his young cousin. Dudley, Anna, and Gillian lived only a few miles away from Vernon and Petunia, on a similarly neat and boring street. Harry nervously flattened his untidy hair as he rang the doorbell.

A small girl answered the door. She was blond like Dudley, with pale blue eyes and an anxious expression. She looked younger than eleven.

“Hello,” said Harry. “You must be Gillian. I’m your cousin Harry. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello,” said Gillian in a tiny voice. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Do you want some tea?”

“That would be lovely,” replied Harry with a smile. “I’d also very much like to say hi to your dad. I haven’t seen him in ages. And I’ve never met your mum.”

“They’re waiting in here, c’mon.” She spun around and walked quickly towards the kitchen, turning her head to make sure that Harry was following her.

It was a bit of a shock for Harry to see Dudley for the first time since they were both seventeen. He had lost some weight, but was still not exactly what one would call thin. He did, however, have a much kinder expression than Harry had ever seen on his face when they lived in the same house. Anna was quite short, with very straight brown hair and the same eyes as her daughter. Dudley extended his hand to Harry. “Thank you for coming. We really appreciate it.”

“Any time, Big D,” Harry said. A slightly surprised smirk appeared on Dudley’s face. He bent down to face his daughter.

“So, Gilly, do you have questions for Harry?” he asked.

“Ask me anything you like,” Harry said. “There must be loads of things you want to know.”

“Well,” Gillian said cautiously, “you can do magic?”

“I certainly can,” Harry responded, “I’m a wizard.” He pulled his wand out of his back pocket and said, quite theatrically “Lumos!” Gillian looked delighted as she observed the glow that burst from the wand.

“But you know what, Gillian? You can do magic, too. You need to get a wand of your own, and go to school to learn how, but you can already do it. You’ll go to Hogwarts to learn all about wizards and witches and the amazing things they can do.”

“So, I’m a witch?” she asked. Harry nodded. “That doesn’t seem very nice.”

“Oh no, being a witch is wonderful!” Harry insisted. “My mum was a witch, and so is my wife, and so is my daughter. She’s only a few years older than you are, and she loves Hogwarts. She can hardly even stand to be at home anymore because she always wants to be at school learning new things. You’ll love it there, I promise.”

“Can I still see Mum and Dad when I’m at Hogwarts?”

“They can’t go with you, but they can write to you every single day. Plus, you can come home at holidays. And if you want, your mum and dad can go with you to buy all your school supplies. You’ll need to go to Diagon Alley, which is a place in London where you can get a magic wand, and all your spellbooks and cauldrons and things. It’s fantastic.”

Gillian still looked unsure. “I just...I don’t really believe that this is all real.”

“I know it’s hard to believe,” said Harry. “I had a difficult time believing it when I found out. It’s just that there aren’t very many witches and wizards, and they like to keep their magic secret to stay out of trouble. But even though your mum and dad can’t do magic, I know they’re very proud of you. I’m sure you’ll do great things.”

Anna was looking a little teary, and it was clear to Harry that she was still in disbelief. Gillian, however, was starting to look excited.

“So, after I get all my things, what happens? How do I get to school?”

“On September 1st, you’ll take a train from London to Hogwarts. And you’ll meet Hagrid, who’s the gamekeeper, and he’ll help all the first years get to the castle.”

“There’s a castle?!”

“Oh yes, the school is in a castle. There’s also a huge forest and a lake and an all-wizarding village. But you’ll see all that later. When you first get there, you get sorted into a house. There are four: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Gryffindors are brave, Hufflepuffs are loyal and kind, Ravenclaws are smart and logical, and Slytherins are...ambitious.”

He tried not to show any bias to Gillian. Harry knew that great wizards could come out of Slytherin, but it was still not easy to get rid of a prejudice that has been so deeply rooted in him for such a long time.

“Is one house better than the others?” asked Gillian, looking worried.

“No, definitely not,” said Harry. “Great wizards and witches have come out of all of them, and you’re really special just for going to Hogwarts.”

“How do you get put into a house?”

She was opening up now, and she began asking Harry new questions before he could give her complete answers to the last ones. Dudley and Anna watched nervously. They tried to listen to the conversation, but it soon went over their heads as details of the magical world became too foreign for people of their Muggle upbringing. Gillian, however, hung on Harry’s every word as he explained the Sorting Hat, the House Cup, and the feasts that took place in the Great Hall. He told her that Albus, James, and Lily would look out for her no matter what house she was in, and that she would love Herbology taught by his friend Professor Longbottom. Gillian’s parents eventually left the room, trusting that Harry knew what he was doing.

After several hours, there was finally a lull in the conversation. Harry was a little out of breath from giving so many detailed descriptions, and Gillian seemed to have run out of questions.

“Are you excited now?” he asked her.

“I think so,” Gillian said quietly. “It’s a lot to think about.”

“I know, but once you’re there you’ll do great. I promise.” Harry looked at the watch that Mrs. Weasley had given him for his seventeenth birthday. “You know what, Gillian, I’ve been here quite a while. My family is probably wondering if I’m ever coming back. I should go, but don’t hesitate to write me if you have any more questions.”

“Alright. Thank you, Harry.” She got out of her chair, walked over, and hugged him. He patted her shoulder.

“You’re very welcome.”

They walked out to the living room, where Anna and Dudley were watching the evening news. Dudley turned around.

“Did Cousin Harry answer all of your questions?”

“I think so. I’m excited, Dad. I can’t wait to go to Hogwarts.”

“That’s wonderful, darling,” said Anna. She still looked unsure, but also proud.

“Well, thanks for having me over,” said Harry. “We really should keep in touch more, Dudley.” His cousin nodded, then shook his hand again.

“Anna, it was so nice to meet you,” she smiled and stood up to give him a hug.

“And Gillian, talking to you was magical.” She laughed.

“I’ll see you in Diagon Alley,” he said as the Dursleys walked him to the door. Gillian was grinning now, clearly trying to picture what this mysterious place had to offer.

“I’m so happy to have another witch in the family,” Harry said as he Apparated away from the doorstep. As he spun into darkness, he saw a look of complete awe take over Gillian’s face. Even Dudley looked happy.

 


End file.
